Press release

September 29, 2005

Banking Production Centre (BPC), a leading electronic payments and retail banking solutions provider and systems integrator, signed a contract with First Czech-Russian Bank to deploy an in-house card processing centre based on the SmartVista suite of software products.

This project is an essential part of the bank’s strategy aimed at developing innovative financial services and products. The full-functional processing centre will enable the bank to issue and acquire Visa and MasterCard magnetic stripe cards and Visa EMV-compliant chip cards. After the completion of the project First Czech-Russian Bank will offer its clients a wide range of new services including cash-in and funds transfer to predefined accounts.

The SmartVista-based processing centre will also provide First Czech-Russian Bank with the ability to start MasterCard chip cards acquiring. In the near future First Czech-Russian Bank is going to become an affiliate member of MasterCard International payment scheme.

”We are confident that BPC’s technology expertise and world class solutions can give us flexibility to meet ever-changing requirements of the retail banking market,” said Olga Arsentieva, First Deputy Chairman of the Board, First Czech-Russian Bank. “The SmartVista-based processing centre will allow us to deliver enhanced service to our customers and to strengthen our position in the retail banking sector.”

“We are pleased that First Czech-Russian Bank joined a growing list of banks which rely on our products,” said Sergey Kryukov, Deputy CEO, Sales, Client and Partner Relations. “SmartVista solution will help the bank to fully meet the clients’ demand for card-based financial services and will provide the foundation for bank’s retail business growth.”